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Plenty of capers in Killarney!

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6 years ago

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KENMARE CAPERS: The Kenmare group at the Macra na Feirme Capers semi-finals in the Great Southern Killarney. Seated from left are: Joanne Mac, Damien Price, Helena Rice, Rachel Healy, Seamus Healy and Katie Mac. Standing from left are: Linda Kelleher, Sophie Kehoe, John Michael Fitzgerald and Ciara Price. Picture: Eamonn Keogh

 

By Sean Moriarty

 

From singing and dancing to comedy and drama, there was plenty of capers at the Great Southern Killarney last weekend.

 

It was all part of an entertaining night by the Kerry branch of Macra Na Feirme who hosted one of three national ‘Macra Caper Variety Show’ semi-finals on Saturday, January 11.

 

The competition is designed for Macra clubs nationwide wishing to gain experience in producing and performing a light entertainment variety show.

 

Each year a local county branch hosts one of three regional semi-finals ahead of the national finals which are scheduled for Ovens, County Cork next month.

 

“It was a great night, it ran very smoothly and the hotel staff were so helpful,” Kerry Branch secretary Joanne Lawlor told the Killarney Advertiser.

 

Both Freemount and Whitegate from Cork were declared the regional winners following Saturday night’s variety show that was witnessed by 300 people. Kenmare was the only local group to contest the Killarney semi-final but their bid to progress was unsuccessful this time around.

 

[caption id="attachment_29768" align="alignleft" width="3000"] Kerry Macra officers Sean Joy (Chairman), Robert Lucey (Treasurer), Joanne Lawlor (Secretary) and Gearoid O'Sullivan (Young Farmers Officer) at the Macra na Feirme Capers semi-finals in the Great Southern Killarney on Saturday night. Picture: Eamonn Keogh[/caption]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The semi-final locations are decided by an open draw and as a result Killarney contested their semi-final in Mountmellick on Saturday night. Unfortunately they did not made the cut for the final, but Killarney member Conor Brosnan was named as the ‘Best Actor on the Night’.

 

Kerry will host the Macra Na Feirme National Rally for the first time in 30 years in October. The Tralee-based three-day event will include a national awards ceremony, agricultural talks and farm tours. The group hope to include visits to the Killarney Brewing Company and the Liberator Whiskey Distillery in Fossa as its alternative farming tour.

 

“The fact that we were able to run Saturday night’s event without a hitch shows the National Office that are well able to take on the organising of the National Rally,” Joanne added.

 

 

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Sinn Féin to host public meeting on cost of living at Killarney Heights Hotel

Sinn Féin deputy leader Pearse Doherty will host a public meeting on the costs of living and housing crises at the Killarney Heights Hotel on Thursday, May 28 at 8pm. […]

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24 hours ago

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25 May 2026

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Sinn Féin deputy leader Pearse Doherty will host a public meeting on the costs of living and housing crises at the Killarney Heights Hotel on Thursday, May 28 at 8pm.

The Donegal TD will be joined by Kerry TD Pa Daly to discuss the economic pressures facing local households and the policy changes needed to provide financial relief. The main focus of the evening will center on the barriers preventing local people from buying their own homes, alongside broader costs of living challenges.
Speaking exclusively to the Killarney Advertiser ahead of his visit, Deputy Doherty said workers and families across Kerry are being squeezed from every direction by rising weekly shops, high energy bills, increasing insurance premiums, and substantial housing costs.
“Young people are losing hope that they will ever own a home in the county where they were raised,” Deputy Doherty said. “And while all of this is happening, the government is sitting on billions in budget surpluses while telling struggling families to wait. It is simply not good enough.”
The Sinn Féin finance spokesperson highlighted specific regional factors making the crisis acute in County Kerry, particularly regarding home heating costs.
“Almost 59% of homes in Kerry rely on home heating oil, which is nearly double the state average of 34%,” he said. “That means families across the county are far more exposed to soaring fuel costs than households in many other parts of the state. Yet the government withdrew supports that were helping households keep the lights on and heat their homes.”
Deputy Doherty noted that the housing situation in Kerry has moved beyond a social issue and is now impacting the local economy and communities. He pointed to figures showing average rents in the county have reached €1,493 per month, with exceptionally low market availability.
“At the time of writing, there were only 27 properties available online to rent across the entire county. Only 19 were below €2,000 a month and just five were available for less than €1,500. A county the size of Kerry, and only five rental properties affordable to someone on an ordinary income,” he said.
He also raised concerns for first-time buyers, noting that average house prices in Kerry have climbed to €296,000, representing an increase of €33,500 in a single year.
During the meeting, the Sinn Féin representatives will outline their party’s alternative proposals. These include a state-led program of affordable home building, a ban on excessive rent increases, enhanced protections for renters, and immediate energy credits and tax relief for workers.
“The resources exist to do this,” Deputy Doherty added. “The government’s own figures show billions in surplus funds available to the state. The issue is not a lack of money. The issue is political choice.”
The meeting is open to all members of the public, and a discussion session will follow the main presentations.

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National Park hosts weekend Bioblitz for National Biodiversity Week

Killarney National Park is taking centre stage for the final weekend of National Biodiversity Week, with the public being urged to get outdoor and explore the local environment. Today, Friday, […]

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1 day ago

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25 May 2026

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Killarney National Park is taking centre stage for the final weekend of National Biodiversity Week, with the public being urged to get outdoor and explore the local environment.

Today, Friday, May 22, marks the UN International Day for Biological Diversity, and a series of free events will run across the park until the national celebration concludes this Sunday, May 24.
The highlight of the weekend is the Killarney National Park Bioblitz. This event brings families, nature lovers, and community volunteers together to find, identify, and record as many different plant and animal species as possible across the park’s diverse habitats over the next three days.
Christopher O’Sullivan, Minister for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, encouraged locals and visitors alike to utiliSe the final days of the festival to experience the area’s unique wildlife, referencing Killarney’s native habitats as key areas the state is working to protect.
Niall Ó Donnchú, Director General of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), noted that the week is designed to remind people that native plants, woodlands, and rivers are vital systems that make life possible. OrganiSers are encouraging anyone in the locality to head out to Killarney National Park before Sunday evening to participate in the species count and support local conservation efforts.

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